LPN Entrance Exam vs NCLEX-PN: Which Test Comes When and How to Practice
An LPN entrance exam is a program's admission test, such as the TEAS or HESI A2; the NCLEX-PN is the licensing exam after the program. Which test your program uses, what each covers, where official practice material comes from and how the two exams differ.
An LPN entrance exam is the admission test a practical nursing program uses before it accepts you; the NCLEX-PN is the licensing exam after you graduate. For LPN entrance exam practice, first ask your program which test it uses, such as the ATI TEAS or HESI A2, then practice with that publisher's own material.
That is the short answer. The two tests are easy to mix up, but different organizations build them for different decisions, with a whole program in between. This article explains where the entrance exam fits, which tests programs name, what those tests cover, where official practice material comes from and how the entrance exam differs from the NCLEX-PN. ExamReady prepares candidates for the NCLEX-PN, not for school entrance exams, so you will not find entrance exam practice questions here.
Admission rules change from one application cycle to the next. The program examples below come from pages we read on October 15, 2026, and checked again on November 2, 2026. Check the current admission page of the program you are applying to before you rely on any detail.
In this article
Where the Entrance Exam Fits on the Way to an LPN License
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) describes the path in its Occupational Outlook Handbook: licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses must complete a state-approved educational program, which typically takes about one year, and they must be licensed. The duties of LPNs and LVNs are nearly identical; the title depends on the state.
The order of the steps is what separates the two exams:
- You apply to a practical or vocational nursing program. The program sets its admission requirements, and they may include an entrance exam.
- You complete the program. BLS notes that certificate and diploma programs are commonly found in community colleges and technical schools.
- You take the NCLEX-PN. After a state-approved program, prospective LPNs and LVNs must pass an exam to become licensed. Your nursing regulatory body (NRB) sets the eligibility requirements.
The entrance exam is step one, and the program you apply to names the test. The NCLEX-PN is step three, and NCSBN develops it for the boards that use it.
Which Entrance Exam Does an LPN Program Use?
Each program names its own test, and programs differ. Three examples from admission pages we read on October 15, 2026, and checked again on November 2, 2026:
- Bladen Community College (North Carolina) lists a "Nursing Entrance Test" in its 2026-2027 nursing admission criteria for its practical nursing and associate degree programs: the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) from Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI).
- Florida State College at Jacksonville requires the HESI A2 Admission Exam for its Practical Nursing program, along with a reading and math test unless the applicant has a waiver. It notes that HESI A2 scores expire after two years.
- Anoka Technical College (Minnesota) asks practical nursing applicants to complete the Health Science Reasoning Test (HSRT). Its guidelines accept TEAS version 7 scores through the fall 2026 admission cycle and state that, starting spring 2027, the TEAS will not be accepted.
These are examples, not a rule. The same pages list other requirements too, such as prerequisite courses and CPR certification, and a program can change its test between cycles, as Anoka's guidelines show. If you searched for an LVN entrance exam practice test, the same applies: the program you apply to names the test.
What the TEAS and HESI A2 Cover
Programs and publishers describe the TEAS and the HESI A2 this way.
The TEAS. Bladen Community College's 2026-2027 criteria list these areas:
- Reading: key ideas and details, craft and structure, integration of knowledge and ideas.
- Math: numbers and algebra, measurement and data.
- Science: human anatomy and physiology, biology, chemistry, scientific reasoning.
- English and Language Usage: conventions of standard English, knowledge of language, and using language and vocabulary to express ideas in writing.
The HESI A2. Elsevier, which publishes the HESI exams, says its Admission Assessment Exam evaluates applicants on "their existing knowledge in the areas most important for program success." Its HESI Admission Assessment Exam Review covers the topics and question types found on admission exams, including math, reading comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, biology, chemistry, and anatomy and physiology.
Programs also set their own minimum scores. Bladen Community College's 2026-2027 criteria ask for a minimum composite score of 58 on the ATI TEAS, and Anoka Technical College's guidelines ask for a minimum HSRT score of 66%. The score you need is the one your program publishes for your cycle.
Where to Find Official LPN Entrance Exam Practice Tests
The useful version of an LPN entrance exam practice test or sample test is one written for the exact test, and version, your program names.
- For the HESI A2: Elsevier publishes the Admission Assessment Exam Review (6th edition, March 26, 2024). Elsevier describes it as including hundreds of sample questions, with comprehensive practice exams of over 200 questions on its Evolve companion website.
- For the TEAS: Bladen Community College's testing page links to ATI's own TEAS test prep. Choose material that matches the TEAS version your program accepts.
- From your school: some programs point applicants to prep themselves. Bladen Community College's testing page, for example, lists TEAS prep courses offered through the college and test prep materials available to its students.
We do not write entrance exam practice questions. We cannot check them against the real tests, and a sample test that does not match your exam is practice for the wrong thing.
LPN Entrance Exam vs NCLEX-PN
The NCLEX-PN is a licensing exam, not an admission test. NCSBN, the organization that develops the NCLEX, explains that each jurisdiction requires candidates for licensure to pass an examination that measures the competencies needed to perform safely and effectively as a licensed practical/vocational nurse (LPN/VN). Member boards use the NCLEX-PN to assist in making licensure decisions.
Its content follows the 2026 NCLEX-PN Test Plan, effective April 2026, which is organized into four Client Needs categories. Eligibility comes from your board: each NRB has its own eligibility requirements to take the NCLEX. The NCLEX-PN overview covers the exam itself, and how the NCLEX works explains its adaptive format.
For the NCLEX-PN, NCSBN's own preparation page offers a sample pack that includes two PN case studies, an exam preview and the test plans. NCSBN also states that it does not recommend or endorse any review courses or study materials. The fees are in what the NCLEX costs.
LPN Entrance Exam and NCLEX-PN at a Glance
| LPN entrance exam | NCLEX-PN | |
|---|---|---|
| When | Before a program admits you | After you complete a state-approved program |
| Who requires it | The program you apply to | Your NRB, as part of licensure |
| Who publishes it | A test publisher, such as ATI (TEAS) or Elsevier (HESI A2); some programs use other tests | NCSBN |
| What it measures | Academic skills such as reading, math, science and English, as publishers and programs list them | Competencies needed to practice safely and effectively as an LPN/VN (2026 PN test plan) |
| Length | Set by the test; check your program's and the publisher's pages | 85 to 150 items in the allotted five-hour period (2026 PN test plan) |
| Official practice | The publisher's own review material | NCSBN's sample pack, exam preview and test plan |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the LPN entrance exam the same as the NCLEX-PN?
No. An entrance exam is a program's admission test, taken before you start. The NCLEX-PN is the licensing exam NCSBN develops, taken after you complete a state-approved program.
Which entrance exam do LPN programs use?
It depends on the program. In the pages we read on October 15, 2026, and checked again on November 2, 2026, Bladen Community College named the TEAS, Florida State College at Jacksonville the HESI A2, and Anoka Technical College the Health Science Reasoning Test.
Where can I get an LPN entrance exam practice test?
From the publisher of the test your program names: Elsevier for the HESI A2 and ATI for the TEAS (Bladen Community College's testing page, for example, links to ATI's TEAS test prep). Your school's testing center may also list prep it offers.
Is there a passing score for the TEAS or HESI A2?
Each program sets its own minimum. Bladen Community College asks for a TEAS composite score of at least 58, and Anoka Technical College an HSRT score of at least 66%. Use the minimum your program publishes for your application cycle.
Does ExamReady have LPN entrance exam practice questions?
No. ExamReady prepares candidates for the NCLEX-PN, the licensing exam after the program, not for school entrance exams.
Before You Apply
The entrance exam gets you into a program; the NCLEX-PN comes at the end of it. When that exam is closer, start with the NCLEX-PN overview. Explore ExamReady NCLEX preparation when you want a structured place to practice for the NCLEX-PN.
Official resources
- NCSBN: 2026 NCLEX-PN Test Plan (PDF)
- NCLEX: Frequently asked questions
- NCLEX: Prepare (sample pack and exam preview)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
- Elsevier: HESI
- Elsevier: HESI Exam Solutions (Admission Assessment Exam)
- Elsevier: Admission Assessment Exam Review, 6th Edition
- Bladen Community College: Nursing Admissions Criteria 2026-2027 (PDF)
- Bladen Community College: ATI TEAS testing
- Florida State College at Jacksonville: Practical Nursing
- Anoka Technical College: Practical Nursing Admission Guidelines (PDF)
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